Material and Spiritual Aid from the Catholic Church of Poland to Ukraine in the Face of Russian Aggression that Began in 2014

Abstract

This article presents the attitude of the Polish Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church in Poland, towards Russian aggression against Ukraine and the forms of support it has given to the victims of the war. The Russian invasion, which began in 2014 through a hybrid war that resulted in the occupation of Crimea and began military actions in the Donbass, unleashed a wave of refugees that in 2022 became an unprecedented phenomenon in the history of European countries. After the conflict entered a phase of open warfare between Russia and Ukraine in February 2022, Ukraine’s neighbouring countries received a large number of refugees. A year later, Poland, which had become the main destination for refugees, received the largest group - more than 10 million people, among whom were predominantly Orthodox. 1 Significant help was given to them by the Catholic Church, strongly influenced by the teachings of Polish Pope John Paul II, who died in 2005. Support for the victims of the war in Ukraine is carried out by Polish Catholics on the territory of the Republic of Poland, as well as through aid sent by them to the war-affected areas on Ukrainian territory.